Third Case of Mad Cow Disease

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The third U.S. case of mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) was confirmed this week, 18 years after Great Britain destroyed 3.7 million cattle in an effort to eradicate the fatal disease that had claimed 143 people in the United Kingdom.

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Like the first two cases in the United States (December 2003, Washington state; November 2004, Texas), this time the degenerative disease was found in a 'downed' animal. Downed animals cannot walk or stand, and are classified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as 'diseased.' Estimates on the number of diseased/downed animals that make it into the human food supply range from 100,000 to 200,000 annually, or more than 70 percent of the downed animals brought to USDA slaughterhouses.

In addition to the risk of mad cow disease, downed cows are more likely to be contaminated with fecal pathogens and other diseases. The USDA previously agreed to ban the use of downer cows, but recently, USDA Secretary Mike Johanns announced that downed animals may again be used for human food. Because the USDA's policy on downed animals has been inconsistent, concerned citizens ? including U.S. representative Gary Ackerman (D-NY), senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and the organizations Farm Sanctuary and NoDowners.org ? are supporting legislation that would permanently ban the use of downed animals in the human food supply. The U.S. Senate has passed the Downed Animal Protection Act, but the House has yet to decide.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?


Comments

  • Marie Devine 11/26/2008 4:27:29 PM

    Dr. DC Jarvis wrote a book called "Arthritis and Folk Medicine" in 1960 saying the way we are feeding our animal is changing the PH of their blood and ours and if not stopped we would catch every disease. (It is an inexpensive paperback book.)

    He gave information on cows and chickens that sound like the diseases mad-cow and bird-flu. He suggested give apple-cider vinegar in their rations to combat and prevent the disease. He gives specifics. For humans he suggests 2 teaspoons each of apple-cider vinegar and honey mixed together and add a cup of water and sip with 3 meals or inbetween.

    At least part of what is happening is that calcium taken into the body is not going into the bones, but into the veins, muscles and organs. The vinegar and honey break down the calcium from the wrong place and deposits in the bones making them strong.

    At www.divine-way.com see ways to transform our society so it solves these and other world problems we created by ignoring God's wisdom.

  • Brian Alexander 9/7/2008 7:07:42 PM

    Mad cow disease in cattle, chronic wasting disease in deer, equine encephelitis in horses, genetic modifying of seeds and livestock, (hybridizing them), spraying ever more potent poisons on our crops and livestock, - Where will it end? Or will it? Who thinks seriously about it? And who cares, if they do? You and me? And what can we do about these and other things?

    Lots of questions, very few answers, as you can see.

  • KATHY SOLOMON 1/30/2007 12:00:00 AM

    As a nurse, I have come in contact with a couple of patient with
    confirmed "Mad Cows" disease. Although they call it something else,
    it is the same. It's a political game they are playing with our
    lives. A word of warning to the public...Watch your red meat
    intake.

  • Katherine Kaufman 4/26/2006 12:00:00 AM

    ...so why are we feeding them meat by products? and we think
    there will be no consequences?it's not that we think there will be
    no consequences, it's that we are just NOT THINKING AT
    ALL.

  • Irene Desi 4/26/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Somoeone mentioned here about raising your own cattle etc. There
    is a problem......we won't be able to if Monsanto gets his way.
    Monsanto is financing NAIS. This will put his organic competitors
    out of business!check out WWW.NONAIS.ORG this may affect you too,
    it will also affect the production of organic vegetables, maybe
    even in your own backyard! This is being passed under protection of
    the Patriot Act, it is being done quietly. It is in serious
    violation of the CONSTITUTION. WWW.NONAIS.ORGTHIS IS HOW MUCH OUR
    GOVERNMENT CARES ABOUT WHAT WE EAT VERSES PROFIT.
    WWW.NONAIS.ORG

  • TINA sipes 4/25/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Think about it folks, mad sheep, mad cows, bird flu, lyme
    disease, I am a nurse and I tell you;, you cannot feed animals to
    animals who do not eat meat and have anything come out right.
    grazers are herbivores, not carnivores so why are we feeding them
    meat by products? and we think there will be no
    consequences?

  • TERRY Watt 3/26/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Well now I understand why American producers are so against
    Country of Origin Labeling. It's their own country they don't want
    labeled, then consumers could easily choose.Why do we import as
    much beef as we export? Why not just eat our own beef and skip all
    the importing exporting. Why import live cows when we grow plenty
    of our own cows? Why have we been unsuccessful, after decades of
    trying, of shutting down 3 small foreign-owned (Belgian/French)
    horse slaughterhouses in the US who buy American horses, slaughter
    them, and export their meat? All with no food animal drug
    regulations, all stamped and approved by the USDA, FSIS, and FDA?
    There really isn't any consumer protection anymore (look at the
    pharmaceutical industry). It's all smoke & mirrors.

  • RICK EELLS 3/23/2006 12:00:00 AM

    The goverment is looking the other way againjust like they do
    for the enviroment, the gas prices, the war, and the greenhouse
    effect. As long as there is mony to be made everyone in Washington
    D.C. will look the other way.

  • FRED PERLEE 3/20/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Here are a few interesting quotes to ponder:"Many times when
    meat is eaten, it decays in the stomach, and creates disease.
    Cancers, tumors, and pulmonary diseases are largly caused by meat
    eating." E.G. White, Pacific Union Recorder, 1902"Could you know
    just the nature of the meat you eat, could you see the animals when
    living from which the flesh is taken when dead, you would turn with
    loathing from your flesh meats. The very animals whose flesh you
    eat, are frequently so diseased that, if left alone, they would die
    of themselves; but while the breath of life is in them, they are
    killed and brought to market. You take directly into your system
    humors and poisn of the worst kind, and yet you realize it not."
    Ellen G. White, Testimonies to the Churches, vol 2, p. 404, 405.
    1870

  • Shirley 3/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

    It seems that the reason these diseased animals are in the food
    chain is because whatever regulations supposedly in place aren't
    being enforced. Until wallet-hitting penalties are imposed (fat
    chance, I know), this will continue ad nauseam. Maybe when more
    countries flat-out refuse to take American meat products Americans
    will insist on enforcing the laws already in place. Or
    not.

  • Irene Desi 3/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

    73 percent of downed animals ended up passing inspection and
    entering the food chain. These animals had afflicitons such as
    gangrene, lymphoma, hepatitis and pneumonia.Secondly, I am a
    biology major and own a small farm, and I am pretty up to date on
    research and legislation. I don't wear knickers...i wear pants.just
    as i was born...i will die, but i would hope it won't be because I
    ate a diseased animal or some toxic cocktail a major food
    corporation is slowly killing me with. People need to speak
    up.America is trying to force GM food on European countries that
    don't want to buy it. We are one of 2 countries that refuse to
    adhere to labeling GM foods as such. Japan won't touch our
    meat.Don't panic, just seek the knowledge and speak up, do
    something about it, instead of sitting back and telling yourself
    because your not a "farmer, veterinarian, or otherwise". Poor
    excuse from someone who's obviously ignorant to what it actually
    happening.

  • Irene Desi 3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM

    First of all I'd rather be granola-crunching, unreconstructed
    hippie that is alive and healthy.As far as the disparity, my only
    comment is thisThe government is so obviously more interested in
    the bottom line, not we the people.This is THE UNITED COPORPORATION
    OF AMERICA and not the UNITED STATES.European countries won't buy
    our meat or GM food and I DON'T BLAME THEM CAUSE NIETHER WILL
    I.

  • Shirley 3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Hold it!How can there be such a huge disparity between the Ag
    Dept. audits and the "estimate" referred to?Citizens need to be
    vigilant about accuracy, otherwise we'll simply be labelled as a
    bunch of granola-crunching, unreconstructed hippies. Who needs
    that?

  • Tom Duchesneau 3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM

    First off, we do not know why these certain cows-cattle went
    down. There are many other reasons than "mad cow" disease. Old age,
    digestive disorders, et al... are just a few. If you aren't a
    farmer, veterinarian, or otherwise knowledgeble about this, don't
    get your knickers in an uproar. There is no need to panic.
    Remember, just as you were born, so you will die, one way or
    another.

  • GAIL Bridges 3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Why was the city and state of the of the last case
    revealed????????

  • KEVIN CAWTHRA 3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Estimates on the number of diseased/downed animals that make it
    into the human food supply range from 100,000 to 200,000 annually,
    or more than 70 percent of the downed animals brought to USDA
    slaughterhouses????I was curious as to were these "estimates" come
    from. Recent audits by the Ag Departments Inspector General suggest
    that 29 head of downers were slaughtered over a 10 month period.
    While I would agree, that any number of downers allowed to enter
    the food chain is too many, I would suggest that the author be very
    careful about using "estimates". This type of dissinformation
    serves no one.

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